In my place, Diwali is more like a festival of sound, than festival of lights. We burst hell lot of crackers every year. I learnt to burst crackers when I was 6 years old. Started off with Bijili vedi. Later improved to Laxmi vedi, atom bomb etc in the following years.
Every Diwali has left behind some crazy memories. Let me share one of them here.

When I was 10, I was bursting some laxmi crackers in the morning. My parents were away and friends too left. One cracker didnot burst. I waited for a while and went near it. No smoke from it. So, I thought that the cracker is a dummy piece and took it in my hand. The thread(thiri) had gone in. I poked the thread hole with a stick and it suddenly burst in my hands. Only after that I noticed that the stick in my hand was a lit bathi(incense stick). Smoke came out from my mouth and ears(Just like Vadivelu in movies) :P
Thank God, no one saw me at that moment. I continued bursting crackers like nothing happened. Later my mom found the wound in my hand and the real diwali started for me :P

Chinna vayasulayae terror la!! :D

Happy and Safe Diwali everyone :)